Install a headset in a bike

Step 5

Tighten the bolt down and watch the cups go in! Well the only thing to watch is that you don't over tighten and crumple the head tube.

Check yourself before you wreck yourself - yo!

Grease the bearings and tighten everything up.

Comments

[TheThompsonFive]

Thanks for taking the time to make this. I was really frustrated when I first started to work on my own bikes at the lack of practical info for the repair of common bicycles. You should do another one for the bottom bracket. I don't think enough people realize how easy it is to work on most bikes.

[Prometheus]

Once the cups seat with this method, use a rubber mallet and give each of them a few solid whacks to ensure that they are seated comfortably. Do not exceed 40 ft-lbs when seating cups on any thread-grade of fastener used as a press. in this fashion. The cups will require a certain torque to move them into postion, and then it will reach a point of simply compressing the bolt. Once it feels reasonably firm, you have pressed them into place. As a rule-of-thumb not mentioned here, periodically recheck headset preload for looseness every 5 miles for the first 20, every 20 for the next 100, and every 100 for then next 300. Once set properly, no further check is necessary until a problem develops. Never ride with a loose headset or permanent damage to the bearings WILL result. When determining proper preload, hold the front brake while trying to rock the bike forward and back, no "clunk" should be felt. Now raise the bike on it's rear wheel so that the down tube (goes from headset to bottom-bracket, or cranks) is vertical. Tilt wheel 5° and it should fall to that side. Put your ear to the frame and listen for a rumble when you turn the wheel, which indicates "too tight". If all is good, you have set preload properly, recheck after 10 miles and adjust as necessary. Now and only now, are you done.